Abstract
The development of vehicle components is increasingly based on numerical methods to save the time and costs. Using numerical methods severel limitations exist which must be taken into account especially for the validation of the vehicle safety components. The specific damage modes under complex loading conditions at operational usage and influences of manufacturing process makes the experimental validation of the safety components inevitable. On individual examples - steering knuckles, drive shafts and wheels - the problems related to the fatigue life evaluation and the necessary procedures for the durability validation are discussed.